Smart people literally have bigger brain cells than the rest

For the first time, IQ has been linked to neuron size and performance. The breakthrough could lead to new ways to enhance human intelligence

Neurons with more connections may store more memories

RUSSELL KIGHTLEY/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY

By Jessica Hamzelou

What makes some people smarter than others? It could come down to your individual brain cells – the bigger and faster your neurons, the higher your IQ. If confirmed, the finding could lead to new ways to enhance human intelligence.

Most intelligence research to date has identified brain regions involved in certain skills, or pinpointed hundreds of genes that each play a tiny role in determining IQ.

To go a step further, Natalia Goriounova at the Free University Amsterdam in the Netherlands and her colleagues studied …

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